There are 19 colleges in Delaware - 6 public and 13 private schools. At Delaware colleges, rising college costs are evident in the Cost of Attendance (COA), which combines tuition, fees, textbooks, room and board, and personal living expenses; this figure has grown significantly in the last decade.
The total Cost of Attendance has increased substantially at Delaware colleges:
Tuition and fees saw dramatic increases across institution types:
| Institution Type | 10-Year Increase (2016-2025) | 2025 Average Tuition & Fees |
|---|---|---|
| Public, In-State | 10.14% (from $7,860 to $8,657) | $8,657 |
| Public, Out-of-State | 2.08% (from $18,613 to $19,000) | $19,000 |
| Private Colleges | -22.76% (from $17,906 to $13,830) | $13,830 |
Note on Degrees: Undergraduate tuition & fees increased by 2.08%, while graduate program tuition & fees increased by -11.15% over the same period.
Over the past 10 years, the COA has increased 17.15% when living on campus and 17.28% when living off campus at Delaware Colleges.
In private Delaware Colleges, the COA has increase by 3.89% (on-campus) and 3.89% (off-camus). The COA includes tuition, fees, books & supplies, room & board, and other personal expenses.
For the academic year 2024-2025, the total cost of attendance is $39,190 when a student lives on campus and $38,856 when living off campus at Delaware Colleges. The following table and chart illustrate the changes of COA for Delaware Colleges over the past 10 years.
| Year | Living On Campus | Living Off Campus | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| In-State | Out-of-State | Private Schools | In-State | Out-of-State | Private Schools | |
| 2015-16 | $22,701 | $33,454 | $32,747 | $22,378 | $33,131 | $32,424 |
| 2016-17 | $22,850 0.66% | $33,872 1.25% | $33,354 1.85% | $22,428 0.22% | $33,450 0.96% | $32,932 1.57% |
| 2017-18 | $23,545 3.04% | $34,960 3.21% | $34,034 2.04% | $22,867 1.96% | $34,282 2.49% | $33,356 1.29% |
| 2018-19 | $23,255 -1.23% | $33,225 -4.96% | $34,532 1.46% | $22,198 -2.93% | $32,168 -6.17% | $33,475 0.36% |
| 2019-20 | $24,078 3.54% | $34,289 3.20% | $35,410 2.54% | $22,687 2.20% | $32,898 2.27% | $34,019 1.63% |
| 2020-21 | $23,853 -0.93% | $34,241 -0.14% | $35,293 -0.33% | $22,597 -0.40% | $32,985 0.26% | $34,037 0.05% |
| 2021-22 | $23,988 0.57% | $34,462 0.65% | $28,566 -19.06% | $22,253 -1.52% | $32,727 -0.78% | $26,831 -21.17% |
| 2022-23 | $25,154 4.86% | $35,760 3.77% | $30,298 6.06% | $22,675 1.90% | $33,281 1.69% | $27,819 3.68% |
| 2023-24 | $27,199 8.13% | $38,032 6.35% | $32,171 6.18% | $25,250 11.36% | $36,083 8.42% | $30,222 8.64% |
| 2024-25 | $28,847 6.06% | $39,190 3.04% | $34,020 5.75% | $28,513 12.92% | $38,856 7.69% | $33,686 11.46% |
For the current year (2025), the average tuition & fees for Delaware Colleges is $9,949 for Delaware residents and $20,292 out-of-state students. In private schools, the average tuition & fees is $13,965.
For graduate programs, the 2025 average graduate tuition & fees is $15,450 for Delaware residents and $19,635 out-of-state students. In private schools, the average graduate program tuition & fees is $12,118.
The tuition & fees has increased 2.08% for undergraduate programs at Delaware Colleges. The following table and chart illustrate the changes of tuition & fees by tuition rates and degrees.
| Year | Undergraduate | Graduate | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| In-State | Out-of-State | Private Schools | In-State | Out-of-State | Private Schools | |
| 2015-16 | $7,860 | $18,613 | $17,906 | $18,217 | $21,265 | $12,809 |
| 2016-17 | $8,046 2.37% | $19,068 2.44% | $18,550 3.60% | $18,631 2.27% | $21,739 2.23% | $13,177 2.87% |
| 2017-18 | $8,336 3.60% | $19,751 3.58% | $18,825 1.48% | $19,081 2.42% | $22,189 2.07% | $13,979 6.09% |
| 2018-19 | $7,609 -8.72% | $17,579 -11.00% | $18,886 0.32% | $19,594 2.69% | $22,702 2.31% | $13,595 -2.75% |
| 2019-20 | $7,850 3.17% | $18,061 2.74% | $19,182 1.57% | $20,233 3.26% | $23,341 2.81% | $13,781 1.37% |
| 2020-21 | $8,054 2.60% | $18,442 2.11% | $19,494 1.63% | $20,351 0.58% | $23,459 0.51% | $14,235 3.29% |
| 2021-22 | $8,140 1.07% | $18,614 0.93% | $12,718 -34.76% | $11,819 -41.92% | $14,927 -36.37% | $13,652 -4.10% |
| 2022-23 | $7,721 -5.15% | $18,327 -1.54% | $12,865 1.16% | $5,510 -53.38% | $15,195 1.80% | $12,404 -9.14% |
| 2023-24 | $8,258 6.96% | $19,091 4.17% | $13,230 2.84% | $8,160 48.09% | $17,261 13.60% | $12,602 1.60% |
| 2024-25 | $8,657 4.83% | $19,000 -0.48% | $13,830 4.54% | $14,709 80.26% | $18,894 9.46% | $11,990 -4.86% |
For the current year (2025), the average book & supplies costs is $1,616 for Delaware Colleges. The following table shows the changes of book & supplies costs from year 2016 to 2025.
| Year | Books & Supplies |
|---|---|
| 2015-16 | $1,467 |
| 2016-17 | $1,507 2.73% |
| 2017-18 | $1,535 1.86% |
| 2018-19 | $1,542 0.46% |
| 2019-20 | $1,554 0.78% |
| 2020-21 | $1,550 -0.26% |
| 2021-22 | $1,494 -3.61% |
| 2022-23 | $1,439 -3.68% |
| 2023-24 | $1,527 6.12% |
| 2024-25 | $1,616 5.83% |
For Delaware Colleges, the living have increased 35.91% when a student lives on campus facilities and 40.94% when living off campus from year 2016 to 2025. The living costs includes costs for room & board, and other living expenses.
| Year | Living On Campus | Living Off Campus |
|---|---|---|
| 2015-16 | $13,374 | $13,765 |
| 2016-17 | $13,297 1.86% | $13,703 0.80% |
| 2017-18 | $13,674 3.31% | $14,066 1.07% |
| 2018-19 | $14,104 2.15% | $14,478 -1.34% |
| 2019-20 | $14,674 3.69% | $14,920 2.08% |
| 2020-21 | $14,249 6.38% | $15,090 2.73% |
| 2021-22 | $14,354 1.87% | $15,338 -3.95% |
| 2022-23 | $15,994 7.92% | $16,440 8.02% |
| 2023-24 | $17,414 6.01% | $17,243 18.74% |
| 2024-25 | $18,574 7.15% | $18,564 19.97% |